Share in the troubles that we have. Accept those troubles like a true SOLDIER of Jesus Christ. A person that is a SOLDIER wants to please his commanding officer. So that soldier does not use his time doing the things that most people do. If an Athlete is running a race, he must obey all the rules to win. The Farmer who works hard should be the first person to get some of the food that he grew. Think about these things that I am saying. The lord will give you the ability to understand all these things (NIV 3-7).

SECRETS OF SUCCESS

Success often rises out of the ashes of failure.

Success without a successor is a total failure.

If you will succeed in life, there are four principles you will need to apply. It is called 4Ds. They are:

(1) Desire

(2) Determination

(3) Discipline

(4) Diligence

Emphasis today is on D I S C I P L I N E

What is Discipline?

Discipline is the state of order maintained by training and control. It is a particular system of regulations for conduct; it is also a systematic training under direction and control.

From the living Webster Encyclopedia Dictionary, Discipline simply means self-control or self-denial. You must be disciplined if you are to succeed in life. You must be disciplined on financial expenditures and expenses, disciplined on what you eat or wear.

In life, there are so many things contending for attention and interest. But you should be so disciplined in order to know when to shun temptation that life brings across your pathways. You must not allow the flesh to rule or dictate to you. It is not enough to be goal oriented and determined. You must have absolute self-control as to put inordinate desires effectively in check before they ruin you. (1 Cor. 9:24-27).

Over-comers, victors and conquerors are temperate to discipline in all things. Your appetite can ruin you if you are not disciplined. The body likes to eat, play and study, engage in some useful enterprises. A disciplined fellow is not a great talk. There is a need to point out here that the body hates discipline. It hates pre-programmed activities and religious devotion. But if you are going to make it in life, you have no choice than to be disciplined.

There are three characters mentioned in this Bible passage, which we must follow if we are to succeed in life.

Disciplined Soldiers:

There are three categories of soldiers, namely; Conscript, Mercenary and Volunteers.

(I) Conscript: To draft, to enroll by compulsion for military service, a recruit obtained by conscription.

(II) Mercenaries: One who is hired, a soldier hired into Foreign Service, motivated by reason of reward, wages, or gain.

(III) Volunteers: One who enters into any service voluntarily or undertakes anything of his own free will.

Disciplined Athlete:

One trained to physical exercise or quality of being agile.

Discipline Farmer:

One who raises crops or animals; one who operates a farm.

Examples

(1) Enoch - Gen 5:24

(2) Noah - Gen 6:9-11

(3) Abraham - Gen 12:1, Heb 11:8

(4) Joseph - Gen 39:1-4, 7-9

(5) Moses - Heb 11:24-26

(6) Job - Job 31:1a

(7) Daniel - Dan 1:8

(8) Our Lord Jesus - Heb 4:14

Conclusion

I Cor 9: 24-27 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize, so run that ye may obtain".

And every that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.